Humidifier device



H. F. LEVY HUMIDIFIER DEVICE 'July 1, 1969 Sheet Fil ed Sept. so, 1966 INVENTOR. was ZLazy BY W i. M

ATTORNEY July 1 1969 H. F. LEVY 3,453,414

HUMIDIFIER DEVICE Filed Sept. 30, 1966, Sheet ,3 of 2 BYW/dkm ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,453,414 HUMIDIFIER DEVICE Hans F. Levy, 312 N. 6th St., Camden, NJ. 08102 Filed Sept. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 583,313 Int. Cl. F24h 3/00 U.S. Cl. 219-362 1 Claim ABSTRACT or THE DISCLOSURE A humidification apparatus for use in conjunction with V l specifically to FIGURE fleet any possible water overflow into a water disposal trough surrounding the exterior of the holder. Upon accumulation of scale, algae or other contamination, the contaminated pan may be readily replaced by a clean one.

This invention relates generally to humidification, being especially concerned with the humidification ofv an air stream. While the apparatus of the present invention has been primarily developed and employed for .use in conjunction with air-conditioning equipment, and will be illustrated and described hereinafter with particular reference thereto, it is appreciated that the advantageous features disclosed herein may find application in various forms of air-handling systems, all of which are intended to be comprehended herein. 1

As is well known to those versed in the art, the humidification of air in air-handling systems has heretofore been subject to numerous difliculties, including corrosion of equipment and the formation of algae and scale, and

the like, which require frequentcleaning and other rnaintenance, and adversely affect design efliciencies even when fully maintained. Thus, the labor of maintenance, deterioration of equipment and ineificient operation have all resulted from prior proposed humidifying apparatus. Also,

in previous humidifying devices it was usually necessary to provide overheating protection, such as sensing and switch means, to prevent serious damage to air-conditioning equipment resulting from lack of humidifying liquid.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a humidifying construction which overcomes the above-mentioned difliculties, effectively eliminates corrosion and formation of algae from the apparatus, affording longer life thereto, while eliminating cleaning operations and substantially reducing maintenance time and cost. I

i It is another object of the present invention to provide humidifying apparatus having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which is hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claim.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view showing an airhandling apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention, and partly broken away for clarity;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and enlarged for greater detail;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view showing a slightly modified embodiment of air-handling system of the present invention, also partly broken away for clarity.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, and 1 thereof, an enclosure or cabinet is there generally designated 10, and may be of generally upstanding boxlike configuration having an air inlet 11 in its top Wall 12. Interiorly of the enclosure or cabinet 10, in an upper region thereof, may be an upper support or shelf 13 carrying a blower or fan 14 and fan motor 15. The blower or fan 14 thus draws air downwardly, as in the direction of arrow 16, into the cabinet 10 through the air inlet 11 and discharges the air downwardly below support 13, as indicated by arrow 17. At an intermediate level in the enclosure or cabinet 10 may be mounted an intermediate support or pan 20. Over the pan 20 is located a cooling coil 21 adapted to receive and pass air from the blower 14. That is, the blower 14 may discharge air on one side of the enclosure 10, and the coil 21 may be located laterally medially within the enclosure for receiving air on one side thereof from the blower and passing the air on the other side of the coil, as in the direction of arrow 22. In one side wall of the enclosure or cabinet 10, as at 23, adjacent to the coil 21, may be provided an air outlet for discharging air in the direction of arrow 24. Thus, the path of movement of air through enclosure 10 is downward into the enclosure through inlet 11, thence through blower 14 and coil 21, and finally out of the enclosure through outlet 23.

Located in the path of air movement through the enclosure 10 is a humidifier, generally designated 25, the construction of which will appear more fully hereinafter.

Also mounted in the enclosure or cabinet 10, say below the coil 21 and humidifier 25 may be an air-conditioning compressor unit 26.

The humidifier 25 is best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, and may include an upwardly opening receptacle or holder 30 which may be of generally rectangular or other suitable configuration, including a bottom wall 31, and a peripheral side wall 32 upstanding circumferentially about the bottom wall. The bottom wall may be thermally insulated by any suitable means, such as a liner of Fiberglas 33, or other insulating material; and similarly, the

extremely simple in construction, effectively insures opv eration at design efliciencies by substantially eliminating fouling, and which is safer and more reliable than prior humidifying apparatus, eliminating previous dangers inherent in overflow of the system.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction side wall 32 may be thermally insulated by a lining of Fiberglas or other insulating material, as at 34. The bottom wall 31 may be fabricated of sheet metal, or the like, having an upstanding peripheral flange 35; and, the

' peripheral side wall 32 may be welded or otherwise suitably secured to the flange 35. The side wall 32 may also be fabricated of sheet metal, or other suitable material, and at its upper region is provided with an inwardly extending step portion 36, having on its inner edge an upstanding peripherally extending lip 37. Also, about the lower region of the peripheral side -wall 32 there may be provided a trough 38, having a drain outlet 39, for a purpose appearing presently.

Within the receptacle or holder 30, fixedly secured in the lower interior region thereof, is a heater-mounting bracket 40. An electric.. heater. 41 is mounted on the bracket 40 by any suitable means, such as fasteners 42, and faces upwardly from the lower interior region of the holder 30. Suitable electrical-connection means, such as conductors 43 may be connected to the heater 41 and pass outward through a region of the side wall 32, as by a waterproof connection 44.

Suitable means for feeding-water to the interior of the holder 30 is generally designated 45, and may include a valve 46 mounted on a bracket 47 fixed to one portion of the holder side wall 32. Thebracket 47 extends upward and inward over the holder 30, to mount the valve 46 over the holder. A liquidor water-supply conduit 48 may be connected to one side of'the valve 46, and anoutlet nozzle 49 may be connected to the other side of the valvefor discharge downward into the holder 30. The valve may be automatically operated by ,a lever or arm 50 swingable upward anddownward about a generally horizontal axis and carrying at its distal enda float 51 movable generally vertically within the holder 30,

Removably disposed within the holder 30 is a tanker pan, generally designated 55, including a generally 'flat bottom wall 56 and a peripheral side wall 57 upstanding circumferential-1y about the bottom wall. The tank or pan 55 may be integrally formed of a single sheet of highconductivity foil material, such as aluminum, advanta geously having its bottom wall 56 seated directly on and contoured for conforming engagement with the heater means 41. The tank or pan side wall 57 upstands from the tank or pan bottom wall closely adjacent to the holder side wall 32 and terminates proximate to the upper edge of holder side-wall lip 37. At the upper edge of the tank or pan side wall 57 there is advantageously provided, integral with the tank or pan side wall, a flange 58 depending on the outer side of the lip 37 for deflecting possible liquid overflow exteriorly of the holder.

Thus, the tank or pan 55 is effectively conformably received and interengaged with the holder 30 in the operative condition shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. However, the tank or pan 55 is not positively connected to the holder 30, but may be quickly, easily and conveniently removed from the holder, as for replacement by a new tank. As the tank or pan 55 is obviously of relatively inexpensive construction, upon the accumulation of scale, algae, or other contamination, the tank or pan may be removed and discarded, and a new, clean tank or pan replaced in the holder, at negligible cost of labor and materials.

A slightly modified embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGURE 4, wherein an enclosure or cabinet is generally designated a, and includes an air inlet 11a located in one side wall of the enclosure, say at a vertically intermediate location for passing air into the enclosure, in the direction of arrow 16a. A fan. or blower 14a is located in an upper internal region of the enclosure or cabinet 10a and is connected to an air outlet 23a in the upper side or top of the enclosure for discharging air upwardly therethrough in the direction of arrow maintenance.

It should also be noted that the overflow trough 38 may be dispensed with when the humidifier 25 or 25a is located over a properly drained condensate pan. Of course, the float 51 operates responsive'to water level in the tank 55 to open the valve 46 sufficiently to feed the required amount of water to maintain a desired liquid level.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the'present invention'provides a humidifier structurewhich'fully accompli'shes its intended objects and is well adapted tomeet practical conditions of manufacture, installation, maintenance and use; p 1

'Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is'understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claim. Iclairn:

1. In' an air-handling system, the combination comprising an enclosure having an air inlet and an air outlet for passing air through said enclosure, and a humidifier in said enclosure along the path of air movement through said enclosure, said humidifier comprising a metallic holder bottom wall havingan upwardly exposed liner of thermal insulating material, a metallic upstandingperi-pheral holder side wall having an inwardly exposed liner of thermal'insulating material, an inwardlystepped upstanding peripheral lip on said holder side wall, upwardlyfacing electric heating means overlying said holder bottom" wall, a pan of high-conductivity foil material including a pan bottom wall superimposed in direct contact on said heating means, a peripheral pan side wall upstanding integrally from said pan bottom wall within said holder side wall, a flange extending integrally from the upper edge of 'said pan side wall and over said holder 24a. Thus, the path of air through the enclosure 10a is generally upward.

A condensate pan 20a is mounted in a vertically intermediate location in the enclosure 10a, and a cooling coil 21a and humidifier 25a are supported by suitable means over the condensate pan. The humidifier 25a may be 10- cated between the air inlet 11a and coil 21a for the passage of air over the humidifier, after which it passes through the coil 21a and thence upward through fan 14a for discharge from outlet 23a.

Beneath the condensate pan 2011 may be located an airconditioner compressor 26a for operative association with the coil 21a.

side wall lip entirely thereabout to deflect overflow externally of the holder side wall, a drain trough extending circumferentially about the exterior of the holder side wall for receiving and removing overflow, and waterfeeding means for feeding water over said pan bottom wall responsive to water level at said pan side wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I 1/ 1909 Andrews 1,811,727 -6/1 931 McCloud 219-271 2,047,844 7/1936 Wehner.- 2,103,904 12/1937. Hill. 2,585,132 2/ 1952 Kalmadge. 2,845,944 8/1958 Bock 126-113 3,152,240 10/1964 Scott 219-275 X 3,323,784 6/1967 Fazio 219272 X FOREIGN PATENTS 283,087 2/1931 Italy.

ANTHONY BARTIS, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

